Automatic firearm



Feb. 8, 1938. c. sUTTER ET A1. 2,108,026 lAUTOMATIC FIREARM Filed Aug. 13, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.. 8, 1938. c. SUTTER ET Al.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM Filed Aug. 13, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sme/Yiwu @y Char/e5 Suffer fvdfe/ 500556)/j Feb. 8, 1938. c. suTrER ET AL 2,108,02

AUTOMATIC FIREARM Filed Aug. 15, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lm. r

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Feb. 8, 1938.

Filed Aug. 15, 195e Enf C. SUTTER ET AL AUTOMATIC FIREARM 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Wmme/L85 Feb. 8, 1938. c. SUTTER En A;

AUTOMATIC FIREAHM Filed Aug. l5, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 k m w WU, M0 i m. ad O w @5% fm c. SUTTER ET Ax. ZJOS@ AUTOMATIC FIREARM Filed Aug. l5, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 CHIOfL/vum Feb. 8, 1938. c. su'rTER ET AUTOMATIC 15mm Filed Aug. 15,' 193e '7 Sheets-ShevaA 7 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC FIREARM Charles Sutter, Suresnes, and Andr Roussel, Courbevoie, France, assignors to Socit ,An-

onyme Anciens yEtablissements lHotchkiss & Cie,l Levallois-Perret, France, a joint-stock company of France Applicaumiaugust 13, 193s, serial Nay-'95,880 y l :In GermanyJanuary 25,1936 Y vni claims. (cl. sii- 27) To increase the rate of ring'of automatic fire- I 'arms it is customary to use resilientnelementsliw which store up the energy possessed, at'the eridf of its recoil, by the breech closure 'mechanism'of the firearm, and restore it to the llatter Yat .the

beginning of its return to battery, y' "l During continuous iiring, devices of this kind do not increase the strain on the partsof theiirearm. But when it is desired to cease iring, the sear hasta stop the breech-closure mechanism which is moving at high speed, and is thereby subjected to considerable strain which' can cause its breakage or that of other parts;l owing to this fact, it is advantageous to damp this shock on the sear by making the latter resilient.

The invention relates to an arrangement which enablesthe same member 'to be used as a speed accelerator and as a damper for the sear.

According to the invention, the mechanism of the firearm is subjected to the action of accelerating members consisting of resilient elements (springs, Belleville washers, rubber, etc.) which serve at the same time as damping members for the sear when the firing is stopped.

For this purpose, the sear is carried by a movable member which can be displaced in the direction towards which, when the firing is stopped, the sear is urged against the action of the above mentioned resilient elements, which constantly7 tend to hold the said movable member and the sear intheir normal position..

The resilient elements are interposed between a part on which the breech-closure mechanism acts at the end of the recoil, and a part which follows the displacements'of the movable member carrying the sear, each of said parts being adapted to form an abutment for the resilient elements when they are compressed by the other part.

According to a modification, the resilient elements constantly bear against the same xed abutment and are compressed in the. same direction by the mechanism o the firearm and by the movable member carrying the sear. o

According to an embodiment, the movable member comprises a sliding member carrying a pin on which the sear pivots.

Said sliding member carries a heel which forms one of the bearing parts of the resilient elements. According toa modification, the sliding member itself contains the resilient elements which are in that case placed between two members either ofwhich strikes iixed abutments when said sliding member moves, the latter moving in one direction or the other, from. a mean position, according to whether the resilient elements operate'as a rate accelerator or as a scar damper, 1

According to another embodiment, the movable member comprises one or a plurality of oscillating levers fulcrumed -about a xed pin and which are pivotally connected to the sear. so that -for any forward'displacement of the latter there correspondsan oscillating vvmovement of said lever or levers, which movement takes place against the action of the resilient elements.

The sear spring is placed between the sear and a xed member, and a knuckle guide or a sliding guide is interposed between said spring and said member.

According to a modiiication, said spring is interposed between the sear and themovable member which carries it. f

Other characteristics-and peculiarities of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show diagrammatically l and merely by Way of example various embodiments of the invention.

In said drawings: Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevations oi' a first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 being a sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. l. s I

Fig. Sis a sectional elevation and, Figs.- 4, 5 and 6 are plan views of another modification'showing the members in the three diierent positions which they can take up.

Figs. '7, 8, 9, and 10 are sectional elevations of Sour other modiiications. l

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the rate accelerator of the iirearm, comprises amember I subjected to the action of resilient elements 2 which can be of any kind (springs, rubber, Belleville washers, etc.'). When the breech 3 reaches the end of its recoil, it strikes said member l and compresses the resilient elements 2-which thus store up a certain amount of energy, which they subsequently restore to the breech 3 at the beginning of its following forward travel, thereby causing an increase of the firing rate.

According to the invention., said resilient elements 2 not only operate for increasing the ring rate, but also play the part of a sear damper. For -this purpose, the sear 4 is mounted on a pin 5 carried by a sliding member 6 mounted so as to be subjected to the action of the resilient elements 2. For this purpose, said member 6 is provided with a heel 1, and it is on said heel that the said elements 2 bear. 'I'he assembly formed by said elements 2, the buffer l and the heel '|,4

is lodged in, a fixed casing 8 which includes an soA abutment 9 against which can bear the collar I0 of the accelerator I. The member 8 abuts at the rear, at the left of Fig. 1, against a xed part I6 of the firearm. The initial compression of the elements 271s obtained by means of a nut H, which screws on the threaded end of the rod l2 secured to the accelerator l.

In the usual manner, the scar d is actuated by a trigger 26 and has a nose i3 on. which hooks the nose I 4 of the piston I5 of the rearm, when the tiring ceases.

The operation takes place under the ioliornng conditions:

As long as the ring goes on, the elements 2 operate exclusively to increase the firing rate, bearing, for this purpose, against the heel l that is to say against the sliding member Ei which itself bears against the fixed part of the irear When, for ceasing fire, the scar is released, the piston l5, at the beginning of its forward movement, hooks onto thenose I3 and tends to carry the sear 4 and consequently the member 6 forwards. The elements 2 damp this movement, bearing for this purpose against the collar l0 which itself bears against the abutment 9. By

means of said damping, the strains to which the parts o1' the firearm are subjected when the firing stops are considerably diminished.

The sear spring l? is, according to the invention, mounted on a knuckle guide i8 so that it can tum freely when the dammd forward movement of the sear taires place.

.es shown in 2, two accelerators i with a single slidingmember t5, can be advantageously provided. y

The invention can, moreover, be carried out with a great number of modiilcations and it is only by way of example that some other modications of same will be described.

In the example of Figs. 3 to 6, the member 6 is integral with the casing t which, in this case, is therefore movable. Said casing has two bores in each of which Vis arranged an acceleratordamper assembly formed by the resilient elements 2, by a rst head l playing the part of an accelerator and by a second head 7, playing the part of the heel 'l of Fig. l. A threaded plug it enables the initial compression oi? the elements 2 to be effected. -The united assembly comprising the casing 8 and member ti is provided with a nose I9 which is struck by a part iii belonging to the moving mechanism of the irearm at the end of its recoil.

The operation takes place under the following conditions;

Normally the damping members are in the positlon shown in Fig. 4. When at the end of the recoil, the part l5 strikes the nose i9 the assembly 8 6 is displaced towards the left and comes into the position of Fig. 5 thereby compressing the elements 2 against the head l. The energy stored up by said elements is restored to the mechanism of the firearm during the following stroke as previously described. During the ring the members are thus displaced at each shot between the position of Fig. 4 and that of Eg. 5. When the ring ceases the nose id of the part I5 (which can be the piston of the firearm) hooks onto the nose i3 of the sear which then tends to be carried towards the right (position of Fig. 6) at the same time as the assembly 3 6. This movement is damped by the elements 2 which, in this case, bear against the head l which itself bears with its end l0 against the iixed abutment 9.

In this embodiment, a Sear spring il is inter- ,the' sear spring il posed between the sear @i and the sliding member 6, that is to say between two members which move simultaneously.

In the modification of Fig. 7, the mechanism of the rearm acts on the member l through the instrumentality of a lever it rocking about a xed pin 2! and pivotally mounted at 22 on. the said member l.

The sliding member d acts on the same member through the instrumentality of lts heel It will be noted that, in this case, the mechanism of the iirearm and the sliding member compress the resilient element 2 always in the same direction. said element bearing against the threaded plug ll.

Fig, 8 shows another embodiment in which the sliding member is replaced by a lever t 'Iolcrumed about a iixed pin 23. The pin 5 oi' the scar d is carried byone of the arms of said lever, other arm of which is in contact with a sleeve 'i against which the resilient element 2 acts. Said lever t plays exactly the same part as the sliding member t of the preceding figures, that is to 'say that when the firing ceases, the forward movement of the scar that said lever b ment i.

In the embodiment oi Fig. 9, the pin of the sear is also carried by one of the arms or" a lever 6, the other arm of which is engaged, vrlth a clearance J, in a slot of the member i integral. with the member l. Said clearance permits the free operation of said member as an accelerator during the iring. When the firing ceases the upper arm of the lever tends to move towards the left compressing the elements 2 which thereby ensure the damping of the forward movement of the sear.

The lever 5 has a third arm 25 on which acts yand which also serves as an the lever ii.

The em' rent of Fig. l0 differs from the preceding by the arrangement oi' the lever ii, which in this case acts on the resilient elements i? in the opposite direction to the member i'.

has already been explained all these em- 'iodiulentsV have only been described and illustrateol in a purely explanatory and in no way limitative manner and they can be subjected to any useful modications without exceeding the scope of the present invention.

We claim:

. 1. Automatic rearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a longitudinally sliding member, a sear for stopping the rlng pivotally mounted on said member, a heel carried by said member and against which the breech mechanism abuts at the end of its recoil stroke, housings provided in said member and, in each of said housings, resilient means interposed between an accelerator member mounted at one end of said housing and adapted to be carried rearwardly by said sliding member to compress the resilient means at the end of the stroke of the recoil mechanism of the firearm and a movable heel mounted at the other end of said housing and adapted to be carried forwards by said sliding member when the i'ing is stopped, a xed abutment being provided against which said movable heel abuts when the accelerator comn presses said resilient means.

is damped owing to the fact compresses the resilient eleabutment for 2. Automatic firearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a firing rate its recoil travel, a membe' displaceable relatively to the breech mechanism, a sear mounted on said displaceable member and displaceable on the one hand substantially longitudinally and on the other hand transversely for controlling the tiring, a trigger for controlling the transverse movement of the sear, and a set oi resilient elements co-operating with said accelerator member which compresses said elements in its 'rearward movement and with said displaceable compresses said elements in vits rearward move- A ment, and with said slidable member which like- Wise compresses said set of resilient elements when it is longitudinally forwardly displaced by the sear.

4. Automatic firearm comprising a mechanism having a. reciprocating movement, a ring rate accelerator member adapted to be carried rearwards by the breech mechanism at the end of its recoil travel, a member displaceable relatively to the breech mechanism, a scar pivotally mount- I ed on said displaceable member, a trigger for rocking the sear, resilient means interposed between said accelerator member and a part moving in synchronism with the displaceable member, and abutments on which the resilient elements bear in both directions.

5. Automatic ilrearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a firing rate accelerator member adapted to be carried rearwards by the breech mechanism at the end o! its recoil travel, a member slidable longitudinally relatively to the breech mechanism, a heel carried by said slidable member, ya sear for controlling the firing pivotally mounted on said slidable member, a trigger for rocking the sear, and

resilient means interposed between said heel and said accelerator member.

6. Automatic firearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a firing rate accelerator member adapted to te carried rearwards by the breech mechanism at the end of its recoil travel, a member displaceable relatively to the breech mechanism, a sear mounted on said .displaceable member and displaceable on the one hand substantially longitudinally and on the other hand transversely for controlling the firing, a trigger for controlling the transverse movement of the sear, a set of resilient elements co-operating with said displaceable member having a reciprocating movement, a, ring rate accelerator member adapted to be carried rear'- wards by the breech mechanism at the end of its recoil travel, a member displaceable relatively to the breech mechanism, a sear'mounted on said displaceable member and displaceable on the one hand substantially longitudinally and on the other hand transversely for controlling the tiring, a trigger for controlling the transverse movement of the sear, a set of resilient elements cooperating with said accelerator member which compresses said resilient elements in'its rearward movement and with said displaceable member which likewise compresses said set of resilient elements when the sear is carried forwards by the breech mechanism, and a sear spring interposed betwe'n an 'arm of the sear and a part moving in synchronism with the sear.

8. Automatic firearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a iiring rate accelerator member adapted to be carried rearwards by the breech mechanism at the end of its recoil travel, a pivoting member mounted on a fixed pivot and a sear having a trunnion eccentric relatively to said iixed pivot pivotally mounted on said trunnion, whereby said sear is displaceable on the one hand substantially longitudinally and on the other hand transversely for controlling the firing, a trigger for controlling the transverse movement of the sear, a set oi' resilient elements co-operating with said accelerator member which compresses said elements in its rearward movement and with said pivoting member which likewise compresses said set of resilient elements when it is rocked by the sear.

9. Automatic iirearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a firing rate accelerating member adapted to be carried rearwards by the breech mechanism at the end of its recoil travel, a lever pivoting on a fixed fulcrum and having a trunnion eccentric relatively to said fulcrum, a scar pivotally mounted on said trunnion, whereby said sear is displaceable on the one hand substantially longitudinally and on the other hand transversely for controlling the firing, a trigger for controlling the transverse` movement of the sear, resilient means interposed between said accelerator member and said leverv and adapted to be compressed by each of these 4two members, and iixed abutments for limiting the movements of said two members.

10. Automatic iirearm comprising a mechanism having a reciprocating movement, a rst lever pivoting ona fixed fulcrum and displaced by the breech mechanism at the end of its recoil travel, a second lever pivoting on a iixed fulcrum CHARLES SUTI'ER. ANDRE BOUSSEL. 

